Psocoptera
Guides
Anomopsocus
Anomopsocus is a genus of barklice (Psocodea: Lachesillidae) established by Roesler in 1940. The genus contains at least two described species: Anomopsocus amabilis (Walsh, 1862) and Anomopsocus radiolosus (Roesler, 1940). These insects are small, winged psocopterans associated with bark and lichen habitats.
Archipsocidae
Ancient Barklice
Archipsocidae is a family of barklice in the order Psocodea, containing approximately 80 species across five genera. Members are distinguished by reduced wing venation and small body size (1.2–1.8 mm). The family exhibits alary polymorphism, where individuals within a population may have different wing morphologies. Some species are known to be viviparous, an uncommon reproductive mode among barklice.
Badonnelia
Badonnelia is a genus of small psocopterans in the family Sphaeropsocidae. These insects are part of the order Psocodea, which includes booklice, barklice, and parasitic lice. The genus was established by Pearman in 1953. Members of this family are characterized by their rounded, compact body form and reduced wing venation.
Caeciliusinae
Caeciliusinae is a subfamily of barklice and booklice within the family Caeciliusidae, order Psocodea. The subfamily was established by Mockford in 2000 and contains six recognized tribes: Austrocaeciliini, Bassocaeciliini, Caeciliusini, Coryphacini, Epicaeciliini, and Maoripsocini. Members of this subfamily are small, soft-bodied insects commonly found in association with vegetation and decaying plant material. The group shows substantial diversity, particularly in tropical and subtropical regions.
Cerobasis annulata
Cerobasis annulata is a species of barklouse in the family Trogiidae, first described by Hagen in 1865. It is a small, wingless insect found across much of western and central Europe, including the British Isles, and has also been recorded from the Azores, Madeira, and Cyprus. The species belongs to the order Psocodea, which includes both barklice and parasitic lice.
Elipsocus
damp barklice
Elipsocus is a genus of damp barklice in the family Elipsocidae, established by Hagen in 1866. The genus contains more than 20 described species distributed across Europe, North Africa, and parts of North America. These insects are small, soft-bodied psocopterans associated with moist habitats on bark and vegetation.
Lachesilla tectorum
Lachesilla tectorum is a species of barklouse in the family Lachesillidae, described by Badonnel in 1931. It was originally described as endemic to the Canary Islands, though GBIF records indicate a much broader global distribution including Africa, the Americas, Australia, and the Pacific. The species belongs to the order Psocodea, a group of small, often overlooked insects commonly found in association with dead plant material.
Lichenomima
mouse-like barklice
Lichenomima is a genus of psocopterans in the family Myopsocidae, commonly referred to as 'mouse-like barklice.' The genus was established by Enderlein in 1910 and contains more than 40 described species. These insects are part of the diverse barklice fauna associated with tree bark and lichen habitats.
Mesopsocus
Mesopsocus is a genus of barklice (Psocodea: Mesopsocidae) comprising more than 60 described species. Members are small, soft-bodied insects that inhabit bark surfaces and tree trunks, where they feed on epiphytic growths. The genus has been studied for its ecological dynamics, including niche partitioning among coexisting species and industrial melanism in response to pollution. Some species serve as hosts for parasitoid wasps in the family Mymaridae.
Nanopsocus
Nanopsocus is a genus of thick barklice in the family Pachytroctidae, established by Pearman in 1928. The genus comprises five described species distributed primarily in tropical and subtropical regions, with records from Malaysia and oceanic islands. Members of this genus are small, cryptic insects associated with bark and decaying plant material. Like other Pachytroctidae, they are part of the diverse psocopteran fauna that inhabits forest microhabitats.
Peripsocidae
Stout Barklice
Peripsocidae is a family of barklice within the order Psocodea, suborder Psocomorpha. The family contains over 300 species distributed across 12 genera, with many recently described genera closely allied to the type genus Peripsocus. Members are characterized by wing venation lacking an areola postica, a diagnostic feature distinguishing them from related families. The family has a broad geographic distribution spanning the Oriental region, East Africa, Australia, and northern Europe.
Peritroctes
Peritroctes is a genus of small, wingless insects in the family Pachytroctidae, order Psocodea. Members of this genus are classified within the barklice and booklice group, though specific ecological details remain poorly documented. The genus was established by Ribaga in 1911 and is currently recognized as valid. Distribution records indicate presence in Mexico.
Philotarsidae
Loving Barklice
Philotarsidae is a family of barklice within the order Psocodea, comprising approximately 150 species across eight recognized genera. The family belongs to the infraorder Philotarsetae and is closely related to Pseudocaeciliidae and Calopsocidae. A revised classification recognizes two subfamilies: Philotarsinae (tribes Philotarsini and Aaroniellini) and Zelandopsocinae. The family has been extensively studied for its systematics, phylogeny, and biogeographic patterns, particularly in relation to plate tectonics and historical fragmentation in the southwest Pacific.
Pseudocaecilius
false lizard barklice
Pseudocaecilius is a genus of false lizard barklice comprising more than 50 described species. The genus belongs to the family Pseudocaeciliidae and occurs across tropical and subtropical regions. At least one species, P. citricola, constructs silken webs on leaf surfaces where egg-batches are deposited. The genus has been recorded from the Caribbean, Central America, South America, and Asia.
Psocetae
bark lice
Psocetae is an infraorder of bark lice within the order Psocodea, established by Pearman in 1936. It comprises four families: Hemipsocidae, Myopsocidae, Psilopsocidae, and Psocidae. Members are characterized by distinctive morphological features including an oval head with a median crevice and specialized limb structures.
Psocidae
Common Barklice
Psocidae is a family of barklice in the order Psocodea, distinguished by diagnostic wing venation where the areola postica is fused to the M-vein, forming a discoidal cell. The family contains approximately 86 genera and is widespread globally, with documented diversity in East Africa, Southeast Asia, Melanesia, and the Americas. Psocidae is closely related to Myopsocidae. Many species are arboreal, though specific ecological roles remain understudied.
Psocodea
bark lice, book lice, parasitic lice, barklice, booklice
Psocodea is an order of insects comprising approximately 11,000 species across three extant suborders: Trogiomorpha, Troctomorpha, and Psocomorpha. The group includes free-living barklice and booklice, as well as the parasitic lice (formerly Phthiraptera). Molecular and morphological evidence demonstrates that parasitic lice evolved from within the barklice lineage, rendering the former order 'Psocoptera' paraphyletic. Members range from 1–10 mm in length and occupy diverse habitats from forest canopies to stored products.
Sphaeropsocus
Sphaeropsocus is a genus of small psocopterans in the family Sphaeropsocidae, first described by Hagen in 1882. It belongs to the suborder Troctomorpha, a group of barklice and booklice characterized by specialized mouthpart structures. The genus is part of a small family containing few described species, most of which are rarely encountered. Members of this genus are minute insects associated with dead plant material and organic debris.
Valenzuela
lizard barklice
Valenzuela is a large genus of barklice in the family Caeciliusidae, commonly known as lizard barklice. The genus contains at least 300 described species, making it one of the most diverse genera within Psocodea. Some species are known from Eocene fossils in Poland and Russia, indicating a long evolutionary history. Members of this genus are small, winged or wingless insects that inhabit bark and leaf litter environments.